Core A: Administrative Core

PROJECT SUMMARY: ADMINISTRATIVE CORE (AC) The Administrative Core (AC) oversees all functions of the University of Iowa Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Center (Hawk-IDDRC) to ensure an optimal environment for conducting IDD research across the lifespan, tailored to a rural population, that will improve the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and amelioration of IDDs. The AC is led by IDDRC co-directors Lane Strathearn and Ted Abel who have the experience, commitment, and vision to lead a collaborative center that integrates basic and clinical science. The AC will oversee the research project and cores, including 11 federally funded projects totaling $6.1 million per year, promote collaboration within the Hawk-IDDRC and among other IDDRCs, and support outreach and education missions. The AC will focus on four areas: (1) Administrative Oversight. To provide the leadership and administrative oversight to manage a productive, cost-effective Center focused on IDD research, the AC will: coordinate Center activities and advisory committees; manage the Hawk-IDDRC budget; liaise with the NICHD Steering Committee including regular meetings and progress reports; ensure that institutional resources are available for cores; work closely with the UI Center for Advancement to fundraise; and conduct an annual center evaluation. (2) Research Support. To support an innovative Research Project and state-of-the-art core research facilities that promote collaborative, multidisciplinary, and translational research programs, the AC will: support new and existing research projects that are relevant to IDD, prioritizing translational research projects, and multi-disciplinary teams; integrate the work of multiple cores with research projects, using the Hawk-IDDRC Research Project as an exemplar; assess research core services by reviewing user satisfaction surveys; oversee the recruitment of top IDD investigators; administer Hawk-IDDRC- sponsored awards; and set up new research services at the request of users. (3) Research Dissemination and Communication. To ensure effective communication to other scientists, educators, policy makers, government entities, and the lay public, including diverse populations and those with IDD conditions and their families, the AC will disseminate research information through: the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); the Hawk-IDDRC website and social media platforms; a monthly INI seminar series; Iowa’s Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) Centerlines quarterly newsletter; biannual public workshops; and scientific and lay publications. (4) Education. To support the next generation of IDD clinicians, physician-scientists, and researchers, the AC will: provide IDD-specific educational input for LEND, T32, KL2 and K12 awardees; organize monthly IDDRC seminars and yearly retreats; support mentoring programs; and sponsor an educational program directed toward the lay public and IDD community. Overall, the Administrative Core will support 29 federally funded projects ($13.8 million per year).